Cars & Aviation

Rolls-Royce Phantom Makes London Showroom Debut

One of the most anticipated cars of the year, the 2018 Rolls-Royce Phantom, has finally made its global showroom debut at H.R Owen’s Rolls-Royce showroom in the prestigious London district of Mayfair.

Billed as the quietest non-electric car ever made, the model has been in development for six years and is an all-new model with an all-aluminium spaceframe chassis – a world first for Rolls-Royce.

The brand claims that this new architecture is lighter before, serving to enhance performance and also contribute to the car’s ultra-low noise levels, along with the presence of 286 pounds of sound deadening material lining the cabin.

The car is powered by a 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12 that churns out 563 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque. The power is put down to the tarmac through the rear wheels with the help of a ZF eight-speed transmission. The gearbox is linked to the car’s GPS to optimize shift points based on where you’re going.

On the inside, leather, wood and metal are all present, while the car’s dashboard can be commissioned by customers according to their taste.

Claus Andersen, Rolls-Royce Brand Director, said “It’s a true honour to be the first showroom in the world to welcome the new Phantom, which was given the red-carpet treatment it duly deserved during its time with us.

“We celebrated our most successful year to date in 2016, and with the launch of this stunning model, it looks set to be a very interesting 2018, too. Phantom is the very pinnacle of luxury and being able to show off its wonderful bespoke features was fantastic. We’re incredibly excited for next year’s launch and to have the car back in.”

The previous, seventh-generation Phantom was launched in 2003, and was the first of the Phantom range to be introduced after BMW took ownership of Rolls Royce.